Q: What was the idea behind the name of your studio?
A: It’s a simple concept actually. We all grew up in the same generation and are young aspiring artists.
Q: What gave you the inspiration and motivation to start up your own design studio?
A: Our core goal has always been to redefine commercial illustration in Malaysia and of course, internationally. As exciting it is to be a part of the growing creative community in Malaysia, we believe our nature of work is a universal language that can be applied to anywhere and needed by many different industries. Plus, having the acquired knowledge in culture and design is a boost to our concept creations. It’s exciting to create a design that helps a client communicate their message in unexpected ways. At the end of the day, bringing ideas and visions to life with our artistic skill is our greatest satisfaction.
Q: A lot of your works are illustration-heavy, giving them a unique look. How much time is spent on completing one design?
A: It depends on the scale of the project. If it’s a big project, we take 2 to 3 weeks to do research and experiment but execution-wise, on average, we usually take 3 to 5 days to complete an illustration.
Q: Could you describe a time when you had to think “outside the box”? How did you go about it?
A: Our personal project is about creating posters based on the studio’s experiences. It’s an on-going challenge for making us think “outside the box.” From concept to execution, having to create and nail a different vibe for each poster gives us the creative stretch we needed. We simply allow ourselves to be open with our creativity, and force our brain to try new styles, methods, and compositions to conceptualise an idea.
Q: Name one achievement that you take pride the most.
A: In terms of awards, flying to London to get our World Illustration Award was one of our proudest moments. In terms of projects, being a design representative for Snapchat Malaysia has been our best highlight so far. It’s an opportunity to have a lot of creative control to bring out Malaysia’s culture and character with a modern outlook.
Q: Do you have any words of advice for young creatives looking to stand out with their illustration work?
A: Well, there are the repetitive ones such as to not follow trends and to consciously create quality work, not quantity. These are obvious ones to be an original fish in a shoal of fishes.
However, one vital piece of advice is to not create work for fame. Illustration/Design/Art should be a passion. It should be something you love to do and could do for the rest of your life, no matter how big or small. This drive will keep you going until one day the stars align and stand out.
Good things are meant to be shared. 😉 To see more of Studio Behind 90’s work, check out the links below!
Website: studiobehind90.com
Behance: Behind 90 Studio
Facebook: Studio Behind 90
Instagram: studiobehind90